Glen V Glen

It would be easy to pull out some obvious analogies to place around the contest between these two big hitters: The Rumble In The Jungle, the fight between the two big hitters of the day Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The 1966 World Cup Final between England and West Germany. Oasis v Blur for the coveted number one spot in the UK charts, right at the peak of 1990’s Britpop...

But I’m going to look much closer to the present. Last night, in fact. And not in the glamorous surrounds of Zaire, Wembley Stadium or the pop charts... but in Luton. For last night the mighty, mighty Oxford United took on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road. Both teams have seen better days, mainly in the mid-1980’s, but both now find themselves in the lowest professional league of English Football, the Blue Square Premiership. Due to their glory years the teams also sport impressive followings and the game at Oxford earlier in the season topped a crowd of 10,500 and was used as an example of our love of soccer at every level in England’s World Cup bid for 2018. Last night’s showdown in Luton also reached attendance. To say these teams are big fish at their current level is an understatement.

With these two teams the most popular in their division, the atmosphere of last nights encounter was never going to disappoint. And neither was the quality of the action on the pitch. With Oxford having taken the spoils earlier in the season with a two nil victory, the outcome of Tuesday night’s game would ensure a vital three points for the winner as well as major bragging rights for the associated fans. At least until next season.

At this point we turn to the whisky. Two big hitters. Two major heavyweight brands in their own league. Glenfiddich, the biggest selling single malt whisky in the world. Glenlivet, the best selling malt whisky in America. In front of me stands two bottles, one expression of the two Glens, the much lauded 18 Year Old. Now, we have reviewed the 18 Year Old ‘fiddich in these pages before, but lets see if there is any thing to add to the notes we already have.

Glenfiddich – 18 Year Old – Batch Number 3148 – 40% Vol – 70cl

Nose: Lovely cut apple again, lots of spiced notes (Star Anise, nutmeg and more cinnamon) Also, some deeper, musty German wine notes start to appear the longer you leave this dram. A lovely heady concoction. New notes: a whiff of passion fruit and the slightest hint of coffee.

Palate: The sherry becomes more noticeable on the first sip, leading the way for a much drier palate than the 12 or 15, but with pleasant notes of toasted, rolled oats and more apple. This really reminds me of my morning porridge with a little dusting of brown sugar and a sprinkling of sultana's on top of the apples. Delicious. New notes: spot on, really (if we don’t say so ourselves!).

Finish: More of the drying sherry notes but with hints of what was once, a very lively new make (as witnessed by the first heady dram of the night!). New notes: Strawberry jam in the finish.

Overall: Another great expression and a lovely progression from the 15- although a very different whisky in its development. New notes: this is consistently my fav expression in the ‘fiddich range.

Let’s see how we get on against the other headline act, the Glenlivet 18 Year Old.

Glenlivet – 18 Year Old – 43% Vol – 70cl

Nose: This noses like a younger, more spirity whisky. But that could be to do two with two things; the greater ABV and a possibly less sherry casks in the overall mix. I couldn’t give you figures on that last one, so it’s a real guess. The nose develops in the glass from something akin to vanilla milkshake into a richer bouquet of honey and heather. A lot less immediate than the ‘fiddich, it requires love in the glass before it gives out it’s best work.

Palate: A rich palate of crème brulee with the honey and the heather really showing though but in the most well balanced of ways. This has apples too, but more of the fresh green variety, than the cooking apples with cinnamon which came in the ‘fiddich. Really very pleasant and refreshing.

Finish: This lingers longer. It’s a test of it’s stamina as a whisky that it sits for a while on the back of the tongue, tingling and watering it’s way to a close. Not overly complex but it knows it’s job and it does it very well.

Overall: A much fresher whisky than the 18 YO Glenfiddich. Helped by the higher alch volume, this dram gives much more aggression with well balanced honey and heather and a long, juicy finish. Very nice indeed.

I came away from last nights match in Luton utterly gutted. My team, Oxford United had put in 100% effort. Every inch of the pitch was covered. Every blade of grass stepped on. In the 74^th min Oxford took the lead, but in injury time at the end of the game Luton managed not one goal to equalise, but a second to steal the match. Heartbreak for the travelling away fans. Unbridled joy for the home supporters. Looking back upon the previous match earlier in the season, it was a game that I left with the exact opposite emotions: I was upbeat at a fantastic victory. I was ready to mock my friends who supported Luton and I was sure I supported the better team. Last night changed all that; I left the ground a loser, bracing myself for the banter from Luton supporting friends. But one thing both Oxford and Luton fans can be assured of from both games, was the fact that each side gave 100% commitment to the cause. They put on the best possible show in front of the largest audience that could turn up. No one could fault the desire, determination and drive of the 22 players in each game. Was there an overall winner? Only time will tell...

This is true with these two whiskies. Both distilleries seemly at the peak of their powers, producing excellent product for large audiences world-wide. But can I pick an overall winner? Only time will tell...

Very Old. Very Very Old. Very Old Indeed. But New at the same time. Confusing, isn't it!

Ahhh, always fun opening our inbox here at caskstrength.net. In days gone by, a horse drawn cart would arrive outside the HQ, a fanfare would sound and at once a well dress man would step down from his carriage, unfurl a scroll and proclaim "Lo, Good Sire of Kennington. Mastercard want their cash, innit. Pay up or we'll bash yer!" and then speed away, their trusty steed kicking up dirt into our faces as we dive for shillings in our purse. But not now! No! A simple "click" on the tracker ball on the Blackberry and all is revealed. Highlights from this mornings flashing inbox reveals: "eBay Item Won: Longmorn Miniature", "Get Into The Festival Spirit, SMWS Style", "Octomore 2.0 Out Now!" and a rather unusual email:

£10,000 SINGLE MALT IS 'FLAWLESS'

A 50-year-old single malt whisky is to go on sale for £10,000 a bottle, it was announced today. The Glenfiddich Distillery described the single malt as "the pinnacle of our whisky-making excellence" and will release just 50 bottles per year over the next decade. Bottles will be available at selected airports across the world for the next two months, and then at a small number of retailers.

The whisky has been kept in two casks in the Banffshire distillery's warehouse for 50 years. Each hand-blown numbered bottle is decorated in Scottish silver and presented in a hand-stitched, leather-bound case. A leather-bound book accompanies each bottle, detailing the whisky's history and has pages for owners' tasting notes. Buyers will also receive a certificate signed by four of the distillery's long-serving craftsmen.

Peter Gordon, chair of distillery owner William Grant & Sons, said the whisky is "flawless". Mr Gordon, who is the great-great-grandson of distillery founder William Grant, said: "We're happy to wait as long as we need to - up to 50 years in this instance - to produce the perfect whisky.

"The Glenfiddich 50 Year Old is the pinnacle of our whisky-making excellence and epitomises my great-great grandfather's vision of creating the very 'best dram in the valley'.

"Every new year is important when it comes to making exceptional whisky - and Glenfiddich 50 Year Old is the ultimate expression of this pioneering foresight."

In 2006 a bottle of whisky believed to be the oldest in existence was auctioned in London. The Glenavon Special Liqueur Whisky is said to have been bottled about 150 years ago in Glenavon Distillery in Banffshire and was bought for £14,850.

Right-ho. I'll have 12 bottles please. Oh, hang on. There's that mastercard statement again... :(

Soooooo..... £10,000 for a bottle of whisky. I have no doubt they will sell all 50 of them. Not an issue. Okay, it's one of the longest and deepest recessions we've had in decades. But there are still plenty of people out there with money to burn. Just look at Manchester City for starters...

This press release raises four main questions for me.

- "Leather bound"?! What is this, an episode of Alan Partridge?

- "In 2006 a bottle of whisky believed to be the oldest in existence was auctioned in London." Thanks to fellow blogger Tim F for pointing out that they seem to be confusing the oldest whisky with the oldest BOTTLE of whisky here.

- At £10,000 a pop, who is going to open this to find out if it is indeed "flawless" (answers on a postcard, with a sample bottle, to Caskstrength.net HQ, ASAP please!!!)?

- Commenting that one of your whiskies is both "flawless" and "the pinnacle of... whisky-making excellence" would suggest that your other bottlings are not quite up to scratch, so if you don't have £10,000, well you're not very wealthy so I'm afraid that you'll have to drink whisky that isn't quite up-to-scratch.

Personally, I would consider some of the other drams Glenfiddich produces to be at the pinnacle of whisky-making excellence; take the wonderful 15 Year Old, the fantastic 18 Year Old or the awesome Vintage Reserve 1977. You should not be made to feel like you're drinking whisky which is NOT at the pinnacle of whisky making excellence, just because you only have £32.49, £38.99 or £500.00 to spend.

The wonderful thing about being at the top of a mountain is this: every inch you turn around, you have a different view. The vista is always amazing; but from some angles it is slightly better than from others. This is like being at the pinnacle of whisky-making excellence. To the left you have an old Samaroli Ardbeg; take a step to the right and, yes! There it is, the Lagavulin 16. One more pace to your right and you can see it, gleaming away in the distance, it's the Karuizawa 1971. But what is that behind it? Overshadowing, maybe? Ooh, it's the Black Bowmore. And over there! Look! The Glenfarclas 1965 Family Cask... and we've not even seen Port Ellen yet from here...

At the pinnacle of anything, you should have a 360 degree view. An all encompassing idea of the journey you have been on to end up where you are. It is never one-dimensional. And certainly, in whisky, the view can never be summed up one dram alone. I don't doubt that this is the best whisky Glenfiddich have ever made. And they make some crackers in their search to get to this point. But let's not go too far, shall we. However, there is only one way to find out: Now, where was that Mastercard... Argh.......!